WE’VE scoured the internet to find some of the best things to do over the Easter holidays for all ages – and the best part is, they all cost less than £10.
From Easter garden parties with furry friends to Gruffalo and Stick Man woodland trails, here are our top things to do as a family for under a tenner.
£10 and under
BBC Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
Visit Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum for a new exhibition guided by the characters from BBC’S Horrible Science.
The hit children’s TV show is known for its unique experiments and fascinating facts that kids love – and this educational exhibition is just as wacky as the programme.
Follow an outer space adventure where you’ll see space toilets, travel through a wormhole and boogie on an alien disco planet.
Aimed at families with children aged 7+, you can even have a go at programming a space rover and analysing real pieces of moon rock.
The exhibition is open now until January 2027, and costs £10 per person with under 3s going free. Make sure to book your tickets online in advance.
Wild Tots club, nature workshops and Easter Eggstravaganza, Suffolk
Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve in Lowestoft, Suffolk is hosting a variety of nature-themed events for families this Easter.
The Wild Tots group allows children aged 18 months to 5 years to get creative with hands-on messy crafts and games in the woods, with a range of Easter-themed activities on offer.
The Wild Tots Easter Special takes place on 31 March, costing £7 per child which includes an Easter treat. Adults go free.
There’s also hands-on nature workshops for families during the holidays, including art workshops and drop-in wildflower seed bomb making, at £3 per child or £5 for two.
There’s also an Easter Eggstravaganza taking place on 9 April, where families can tour the nature reserve, build nests and take home some Easter crafts for £8 per child and £3 per adult.
Plus the Carlton Marshes nature reserve itself is well worth exploring in the holidays. Make the most of a sunny day out with the family, and set up a picnic overlooking the Suffolk and Norfolk border.
Check the website for a full list of upcoming events and workshops.
Mixed Reality Experience at The Natural History Museum
Step into the future at the Natural History Museum with their mind-blowing Visions of Nature AR experience.
This high-tech adventure uses mixed reality headsets to whisk you 100 years into the future. Here you can explore an inspiring world where nature has bounced back in the most spectacular way.
Suitable for children aged 10 and over, you’ll be taken through eight different ecosystems including rainforests and the Arctic Ocean.
Using the headsets, you’ll find amazing plants and animals that look so real you’ll want to reach out and touch them.
The experience is available daily with sessions between 10:15am and 4:45pm. Tickets cost £9.95 per person, and can be booked in advance online.
Curiosity Club at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is free to visit and packed with fascinating galleries and displays.
The hands-on Imagine and Adventure Planet galleries are perfect for kids, with interactive games and cosy reading corners.
Plus, Curiosity Club sessions at the museum are packed with games and activities that allow kids ages 7 to 11 to interact with the galleries in new ways.
Taking place in the museum’s Learning Centre, this club follows new themes each month, with the next theme Primates beginning on 28 March.
Curiosity club sessions cost £10 per child and must be booked online in advance.
Observatory tours and stargazing in Omagh, Northern Ireland
Shielded by the Sperrin Mountains of Northern Ireland, the OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory is protected from light pollution – meaning that the sky glistens with stars.
This attraction is a top choice for budding astronomers, or families wanting a unique nighttime experience.
Book onto a guided tour of the OM Exhibition to learn all about the local landscape and the history of the Sperrins, whilst making your way through holographic installations.
Tickets cost £6 per adult and £3.90 per child, with under 2s going free. Make sure to book your tour online in advance.
The Easter Garden party and detective trail at Holkham Estate, Norfolk
Head to Holkham Hall and Estate for an Easter extravaganza that will entertain the whole family, set in a beautiful walled garden.
The Easter Garden at Holkham event takes place from the 3 to 6 April, and will include magic shows, games, races, and plenty of chocolate to go around.
The event will also see different animal breeds visit each day for children to meet and greet, from cuddly guinea pigs, to spiky hedgehogs, to scaly bearded dragons.
Meanwhile, the detective-themed Easter trail is simple to follow with a trail sheet and egg boards dotted around Holkham Park.
Once you’ve got your thinking caps on, you’ll be looking for clues to help you crack the code in a family trail suitable for all ages.
The Easter Garden event costs £7 per ticket, with under 2s going free. Make sure to book online in advance.
The Easter detective trail is completely free and runs from 5 to 17 April.
£5 and under
National Trust Easter Trails, across the UK
Nearly 100 National Trust sites across the UK are hosting Easter-themed events and egg hunts during the holidays.
Most of these trails spread across UK sites cost £3.50 per child, but there are some free options too.
This includes an Easter Bunny Bootcamp held at Staunton Harold in Derbyshire, from 28 March to 12 April. The trail itself is free, and the estate does not charge for admission.
The outdoor trail features fun activity stations and fitness challenges to tackle as a family as you help the Easter Bunny find his missing carrots.
There’s also a unique Easter event taking place at Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade Estate in Bedfordshire.
Dunstable Downs will be taking part in the tradition of orange rolling, with 10 family racing stations made from tennis ball tracks. There will also be an Easter-themed trail and classic egg hunt to take part in.
The event takes place from 28 March to 10 April, with admission to the Downs free. The trail costs £3.50 and includes a trail sheet, bunny ears and chocolate egg, with options for children with dietary requirements available.
Check the full list of Easter events on the National Trust website to find a trail or egg hunt near you.
The Gruffalo Orienteering Trail, Exeter
Haldon Forest Park is the ultimate outdoor destination in Devon, with an abundance of cycling and walking trails as well as plenty of activities year-round.
Easter is the perfect time to explore the park, with spring sunshine and dry walking trails making a welcome change from the winter sludge.
Pick up a map and certificate for just £1.50 from the Info Pod, and set out on an exciting forest adventure with The Gruffalo Orienteering Trail.
This map will help you to find 12 sights hidden in the woods, and ends at the park’s play area where there’s a giant Gruffalo sculpture.
You can pick up your trail for £1.50 from 9:30am to 3:30pm during the Easter holidays.
Easter Spring Trail and Mini Mammoths club, Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
The School Holiday Adventure: Take on the Museum Trail will take over the Shrewsbury Museum this Easter.
In a free family trail suitable for ages 5+, you’ll be able to search for hidden treasures amongst displays and undertake a series of hands-on challenges.
As well as this trail, the museum offers a weekly Mini Mammoths workshop where children ages 2 to 4 can take part in songs, stories and even handle historical objects. There’s tea, coffee and snacks to enjoy, too.
The trail is completely free and takes place from 28 March to 11 April. The museum is free to enter and open from 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Mini Mammoths takes place on Thursday mornings between 10:30am and 12pm. Tickets cost £6 for one adult with up to two children, working out at at £3 per person or less.
Egg hunt, Easter crafts and interactive storytelling sessions at Blakesley Hall, Birmingham
There’s a whole host of exciting events popping up across Birmingham museums for Easter 2026.
Between 1 and 3 and 8 and 10 April, you can take part in an Easter trail at the Tudor home Blakesley Hall.
Follow an Easter trail through the gardens of the historical hall to find all the hidden eggs and complete the challenge.
The egg hunt costs £3.50 per child and takes place from 11am to 3pm.
Other events taking place at Blakesley Hall include Craft Wednesdays: Easter Arts as well as Goldilocks and the Three Bears storytelling sessions.
The crafts on offer include Easter cards and bracelet making, which cost £3.50 per session. Book your slot in advance online.
The Goldilocks storytelling sessions are fully interactive, as children will learn the story while touring rooms of the house.
This includes seeing the kitchen where Goldilocks made her porridge, and taking a seat in the three bears’ chairs.
These storytelling activities do however break the £5 mark, at £5 per child and £8 per adult. The sessions take place on 2 and 9 April. Make sure to book online in advance.
Room on the Broom trail at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
Enjoy a spellbinding day out at Westonbirt Arboretum, where the classic kids’ book Room on the Broom is bought to life in a nature trail.
Little explorers can follow the mile-long trail, stopping to collect the special ingredients needed for the witch’s spell.
Don’t forget to grab a family photo with the witch and her animal friends on their brand new broom before you head home.
The trail pack costs £4 and includes colouring, stickers, a lanyard and a pop-out wand. Westonbirt Arboretum is open between 9am and 4:30pm daily.
Free
Amazing Aircraft Top Trumps Trail, IWM London
Take a family throwback to the days of collecting Top Trumps with this free trail at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Aviation and history fans young and old will love this interactive trail. Simply pick up a trail sheet and search for hidden aircraft dotted about the museum to add to your collection.
The Amazing Aircraft trail is open daily from 10am to 6pm, ending on 19 April.
There’s also a Story Seekers trail available on weekends, from 10am to 4pm, where you can learn all about historical heroes at sea.
The IWM London is free to enter and open daily from 10am to 6pm.
Big Beasts, Little Beasts trail at the Great North Museum, Hancock
The Big Beasts, Little Beasts trail is taking over the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne, with family-friendly games dotted across the galleries.
To join the fun, just grab a free trail sheet at the welcome desk and follow the interactive activities throughout the museum. There’s even some great prizes to take home.
Plus, if you visit on Saturday, March 28, you can catch a free living history family day to celebrate the opening of new exhibition: Treasure: Hidden, Lost and Found.
The Big Beasts, Little Beasts trail runs until April 2. Entry to the Great North Museum, Hancock is free. The museum is open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday, closing an hour earlier on weekends.
Tracks of Life Train Exhibition at Clitheroe Castle, Lancashire
Railway enthusiasts should head to Clitheroe Castle Museum for the Tracks of Life exhibition, a celebration of the legendary railway photographer Ken Roberts.
Alongside his famous railway shots, you’ll find model trains and fascinating artefacts that bring the history of trains to life.
While you’re there, don’t forget to explore the 12th-century castle ruins and 16 acres of parkland at Clitheroe Castle.
It’s perfect for a scenic picnic or a hunt for ancient coins, plus the grounds and keep are completely free to visit.
Plus, if you find anything interesting, there’s often Finds Liaison Officers on hand to help identify your treasures.
Clitheroe Castle Museum is open 12pm to 4pm from Friday to Tuesday, opening daily from 1 April.
Stick Man Trail, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire
Fans of the book, film, or that catchy party song won’t want to miss the Stick Man trail hidden in the woods of Alrewas, Staffordshire.
This mile-long woodland path is packed with the familiar faces of classic characters in carved wooden sculptures throughout the trail.
To start your journey, just grab a free trail map from the National Memorial Arboretum welcome desk, and head into the woods to see who you can find.
The National Memorial Arboretum offers free admission and is open daily from 10am – 4pm.
Spring Family Fun Festival at the Southbank Centre, London
From April, the Southbank Centre in London will host an exciting Spring Family Fun festival.
The festival offers both free and paid events during the Easter holidays, with free events including family textiles workshops and free Wordplay songs, rhymes and dance workshops.
There’s also Simmer Down dancing sessions with live music and art workshops inspired by new exhibitions.
The Spring Family Fun festival takes place from April 1 to May 31. For dates and times of specific events, visit the festival website, where you can pre-book your activities.
The Box, Plymouth
The Box is a top-tier family attraction in Plymouth, offering everything from free museum trails and craft tables to fascinating art exhibitions.
You can dive into the current Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy exhibition, or pick up a family trail sheet to hunt for hidden treasures across the galleries.
For those with little ones, don’t miss the free storytelling sessions held every Friday morning for under-5s.
It’s the perfect way to spend a morning, followed by a quick visit to meet Mildred the Mammoth or a creative session at the drop-in craft tables.
The Box in Plymouth is open from 10am to 5pm from Tuesday to Sunday.
